Black Lives Matter

We are in a public discussion on Black Lives Matter, not how every life matters. This is known. Black Lives Matter is a movement that we all are involved and accountable because racial injustice happens in every community. Black Lives Matter is a strong, meaningful voice for our nation by means of educating and bringing change to cultural inequality, systematic racism, and white privilege. 

When social movements fight for equality and civility, it fights against the abuse of civic power and deserves personal attention and reflection. We all live in an era where extreme racism exists, so much so that civil war and civil rights movements change our country. It is our responsibility as the public to understand and consider how social movements advance a better quality of life, influence lawmaking, and promote equal opportunities for all people.  Black Lives Matter is a voice that transcends across race, law, or media to humanitarian rights, raising awareness and accountability, pushing our culture further to show more social acceptance, justice, maturity, and diversity. 

Why should any minority in this nation need to fight for their rights? Too long, the general public accepts and participates in the mistreatment of minorities. This is true for Native American, for Latino, Asian, for women and men of color, for women, for the disabled and SMI, for the LGBTQ community, for immigrants, for any minority that suffers at the hand of discrimination. The justice system was created to protect and to serve the citizen, each citizen, without discrimination, and yet those great ideals are undermined by personal values, and plagues like white privilege.

When minorities, whistle blowers, or movements rise to say, there is a problem, then the general public and leaders of this nation need to hear the problem instead of fighting against it. We need to find solutions by supporting one another. This changes culture, atmosphere, beliefs. The streets of America are still governed barbarically by fear tactics, and corruption. There is a great need to expand civil rights and justice in our communities. If we could each take the initiative to educate and understand the many voices speaking out, we have the power to bring change to our communities. 

I was driving back to California from Texas, when I saw the brutal murder of George Floyd on the news. One man is more than a man. He is an example, turned into a platform for boots, and arms, and knees, and whiteness. Whiteness is a mentality of superiority because of privilege, privilege designed to crush others. What did the badge see when forcing another human not to breath; fear, hatred, both? What did the badge see when there was no breath, and the chest was still, and the back no longer moved. Was the badge conscious of taking a human life? Or, was privilege, lies, and hatred the color of judgment that day!  Mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, sons, and daughters are turned inside out, devices share that people are devastated. There is a sorrow in the nation. We holler and weep, and wonder- why! Why was another young black life murdered? Why did hatred win? Why was there not someone who stopped the brutal scene!

Oh, America the beautiful, I weep. You have always been ugly behind your pretty words and false morality. You’ve been neglectful, abusive, and power hungry, always pointing the finger. Since this nation’s existence, Uncle Sam has been represented, managed, and favored by dollar signs, making too many laws in the interest of capitalism while denying respect, generosity, and equality in our customs. Too little has been done about inequality, so much so, that after wars and civil unrest, we still experience abhorrent casualties on American streets. We still see murders too unjust to be forgotten, too many grievous and unfair imprisonments, and too much money depraving the earth instead of protecting it. We are better people than the excuses. We are loving human beings. I believe we can all do something about the racism, and injustice in our own homes and neighborhoods. How else is an entire nation going to shift an ancient mindset?

To deny the racial dilemma is to turn a deaf ear to the vast number of people in our nation that are crying out enough is enough.  Let’s step out of denial, stop minimizes the issues at hand, stop lacking civil empathy, insight, education, and love. Support and stand for Black Lives Matter, because to have to say so- that Black Lives Matter, proves a great failure already in our nation. Being culturally aware and sensitive will bring change. Racism is not a problem that any select group of our society faces alone. We created it together, we need to fix it together. This is social maturity, as is taking the time to unlearn white privilege and become more culturally diverse and sensitive to the growing needs of all Americans.